By Nkhensani Mthombeni
- Simon Mafihla says a pack of pencils that cost R1,500 now costs R2,000 or more, depending on the specific brand.
- Mafihla supports five people at home, so he cannot simply raise his own prices to cover rising material costs today.
A pack of pencils that used to cost Simon Mafihla R1,500 now costs R2,000 or more, depending on the brand.
Mafihla, known as simontheartist, is a self-taught visual artist from Mokopane. He says the rising cost of materials is one of his biggest challenges, caught between surviving and chasing his dreams.
“You would find a pack of pencils used to be R1,500 and now costs R2,000 or even more, depending on the brand. I prefer quality brands in order to create quality work,” he said.
Mafihla, 27, is the breadwinner at home, supporting five people. He says he cannot simply raise his prices to cover the higher costs, because every rand he earns goes toward himself and his family.
“You lose some, to win some,” he said, adding that you also have to spend money to make more.
He specialises in portraits, murals and other artwork, charging between R1,000 and R8,000 depending on the project. He sells his work on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok under the name simontheartist, and also sells in the street, standing next to a traffic light.
He also walks around town approaching companies, and writes proposals to hotels, asking them to display his art as a way to gain exposure and advertising.
Mafihla completed Grade 12 in Mokopane but could not further his studies. He says art has become the language he uses when he cannot express himself freely, and that it is therapeutic for him.
He wants to one dayXห own a gallery, a place where people can relax and heal through art. He also wants to create jobs for young people, and dreams of opening a school to teach his skills to other aspiring artists.
Pictured above: Simon ‘simontheartist’ Mafihla with his art.
Image source: Supplied
